Predator Ridge Golf Resort

The verdict

Predator Ridge is the resort the touring golfer builds an Okanagan trip around. It offers a rare thing in mountain golf: two full championship layouts on one property, with a clubhouse, lodging and practice ground to match. The original Predator course, designed by Les Furber and opened in 1991, made the resort's name with its bold routing through rock outcrops and native grass; the Ridge, a Doug Carrick design from 2010, added a second eighteen with a softer, more strategic personality.

For the traveling golfer the appeal is variety and volume. You can play two distinct courses without moving your bags, the conditioning is consistently strong, and the high desert setting above Vernon means firm turf and big views over the Okanagan hills. It suits a buddies trip or a couples golf escape that also wants spa, dining and lake time. Pair it with a round nearby and you have the spine of a week in the valley.

The holes worth the trip

The Predator is the one with the teeth. Furber routed it through rock and bunker with several forced carries and a string of strong par 4s, and the closing stretch asks for committed golf when the wind comes up off the high ground. It is the more demanding of the two, the course that rewards the player who can shape a tee shot and hold a firm green.

The Ridge is the modern counterpoint. Carrick used the terrain for movement rather than punishment, with generous landing areas, expressive greens and a routing that climbs and falls with the hillside. It is the more forgiving driving course of the pair, which makes it the one many guests prefer to walk first, saving the Predator for when the legs and the swing are warm.

Played back to back the two courses make a satisfying 36 hole day: the Ridge for rhythm and views, the Predator for the test. Take a cart on both given the elevation and the distances between greens and tees, and leave time for the practice facility, which is among the best in the interior of British Columbia.

Where to stay nearby

Predator Ridge has its own lodging on property, from resort rooms to cottages and rental homes within the community, which makes a stay and play package the natural way to book 36 holes here. The clubhouse dining and the spa keep non golfers and rest days covered, and Vernon and Kalamalka Lake are a short drive for beaches and restaurants.

For a wider Okanagan golf trip, pair Predator Ridge with the lake views of Tobiano near Kamloops to the north, the mountain drama of Greywolf at Panorama in the Kootenays, and the exclusive Sagebrush if you can secure access. See the full picture on our Golf in Canada hub.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Predator Ridge and Vernon.